Sewing machine



May 11, 1937. A. s. RIVIERE 2,080,338

SEWING MACHINE Filed June22, 195:5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. S. RIVIERE SEWING MACHINE May 11, 1937.

Filed June 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED (STATES- SEWING MACHINE Albert S. Riviera, Chicago, 111., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 22, 1933, Serial No. 677,148

7 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines, and more particularly to a machine for stitching an elastic tape to a fabric section. It has been a common expedient in the stitching of an elastic tape to a fabric section to place a tension on the tape as it is fed to the stitching mechanism for the purpose of stretching the tape and holding the same stretched at the time and in theregion where it is stitched to the fabric section. When the fabric section is released from the machine, the tape returning to its normal conditionwill gather the I fabric section. It is well known that an elastic tape varies considerably in strength so that the uniform tension on the tape will stretch the same more at one point than at another. Consequently, the garments produced will be gathered more or less according to the character of the elastic tape.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the elastic tape may be These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a view partly in sectionand partly in plan of a portion of a sewing machine having the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in 40 end view of the same and showing a portion of the operating parts above the work support, and

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of supporting the guiding and clamping roller for the elastic tape. 45 In carrying out the invention, a sewing machine is utilized, which is provided with a stitching mechanism, preferably including two needles and cooperating stitch forming devices so that two lines of stitching are produced. The machine 5 includes a work support and a presser foot for holding the material on the work support. Directly in front of the presser foot is a guide for guiding the elastic tape and the fabric section to.

which the tape is to be stitched. Said guide is so 55 constructed in the present machine as to form a pocket to receive the tape. Located directly beneath the presser foot is a feed dog of the usual type which feeds the elastic tape and fabric section to and from the stitching mechanism. Operating upon the tape before it'passes into the 5 guide is a feeding mechanism which grips the elastic tape so that it is fed only at the speed of the feeding mechanism which grips the same. This feeding mechanism is so timed relative to the feeding mechanism operating upon the fabric 10 section and the tape at the stitching region, that the tape between the two feeds is stretched. It is thought the invention will be better understood by a detail description of the present includes a work support I which is mounted on the supporting bed! carried by a table 3, A reciprocating needle bar 4 is provided with two needles 5, 5, and cooperating with each needle beneath the work support is a suitable comple- 20 mental stitch forming device, not shown. The material is held on the work support by a presser foot 6 and is 'fed across the work support by a feeding mechanism which includes a feed dog 1. This feed dog i operates on the fabric section and the elastic tape in the region of the stitching devices and feeds the same to and from the stitching devices.- Located directly in front of the presser foot is a guide 8 which is constructed so as to guide the fabric section and fold the edge portion thereof to form a pocket for the elastic tape. The elastic tape which is indicated at 9 in the drawings is directed centrally through the guide'and into the pocketby a guiding tube 8a. Located in rear of the sewing machine is a puller machine having a work supporting plate l0. Mounted beneath this work supporting plate It and operating through an opening therein is a feed roller ll. Cooperating with the feed roller i I is a feed roller H which is carried by a presser bar l3, yieldingly supported and operating to grip the fabric section to which the tape has been stitched to aid in the feeding of the same. The roller ii is carried by a shaft I located beneath the work support III, and mounted on this shaft is a clutch drum IS. The clutch drum i5 is operated by an eccentric strap l6 cooperating with an eccentric on the main actuating shaft I! of the sewing machine. back and forth by a feed rocker l8 which is oscillated by an eccentric strap l9 cooperating with an eccentric on the main actuating shaft IT. This means for operating the puller rollers I I and i2 and also the feed dog I is similar to that 55 The feed dog I is moved a sector guide 2|. fixed to an arm 22 carried by a shaft 23 pivotally mounted on supporting bearings 24, 24-.v These bearings are carried by a base member 25 mounted on the bed 26 of the puller machine so that said base member can be adjusted laterally of a vertical plane containing the line of feed. The guiding sector 2| extends to the right of the arm 22, as viewed in Fig. 3, and is provided with an opening 21 therethrough. The elastic tape passes down'through this opening and is then led along the under side of the sector plate which guides the tape. The slot 21 is inclined to the line of feed at a forty-five degree angle, so that the tape which is led up to the slot in a direction at right angles to the line of feed, will pass in a direction parallel to the line of feed after it leaves the slot 21.

Carried by the arm 22 is a stud carrying a roller 28 which is knurled. The tape passes underneath this knurled roller 28, and thence over a knurled cylindrical member 29 which is concentric to the axis of the puller roller H and movable therewith. There is a spring 39 wound about the shaft 23, and one end of the spring engages a bearing 24, and the other end of the spring engages the arm 22 and turns said arm so as to force the roller 28 against the elastic tape, clamping the same firmly against the knurled cylindrical member 29 which turns with the lower puller roller. This cylindrical member 29 is the positive feed engaging the tape for feeding the same to the stitching mechanism, and for holding said tape against movement, except as said cylindrical member 29 is turned. The tape is led from the cylindrical member 29 over a roller 3|, thence over a roller 32, and thence into the guiding .tube 80.. The puller roller Ii is intermittently operated through the clutch drum referred to above. The peripheral speed of the puller roller is synchronized with the speed of feed of the fabric through the operation of the feed dog 1, or substantially so, so that the puller rollers cooperate with the feed dog in the feeding of the fabric section after the elastic tape is stitched thereto. The concentric feeding member 29 is of less diameter than the diameter of the puller roller H, and therefore, moves at a slower peripheral speed. The elastic tape is firmly pressed into contact with this feed member 29, and the elastic tape will only move as at the peripheral speed of said" member 29. Inasmuch as the peripheral speed of this member 29 is slower than the effective feeding of the elastic tape and fabric section by the feed dog I, the tape will be stretched between the point where the feed dog operates upon the elastic tape and the point where themember 29 operates upon the elastic tape..- It is understood, of course, that the elastic tape at the stitching region is either clamped by the presser foot against the feed dog or by the presser foot against the work support, so that it is always held against any movement from beneath the presser foot, except as it is moved by the feed dog sliding along the under side of the .presser foot. The feeding member- 29 at each step movement thereof, feeds an increment of tape into the region between the two feeding devices, and the feed dog I, feeding a greater increment of tape to the stitching devices, will cause these newly fed increments of tape to be stretched, and thus it is that the tape is kept continuously stretched, although it is fed step by step by the feeding member 29. The degree to which the tape is stretched is determined entirely by the differential in the feeding movements of the two feeding'devices, and therefore, when said tape is stitched to the garment and is released from the presser foot there will be a uniform gathering of the garment, regardless of any weakness in the elastic tape. It is understood that the needles are so disposed that they either pass through the tape or close to the edges of the tape so that the fabric will not slide on the. tape when released and will be gathered by the tape when it returns to its normal unstretched condition.

Alongside of the concentric member 29 is a concentric member 29a of larger diameter. The base plate 25 is capable of adjustment and will carry with it the roller 28 and the elastic tape guide 2|, so that the tape will be guided on to the section 29a and firmly pressed against the knurled surface thereof by the roller 28, the adjustment of the base plate 25 being accomplished by loosening the screw 25a which passes through a slot 25b in the base plate and shifting the base plate endwise. This will feed the tape at a slightly greater speed than the concentric feeding member 29, and as a result, the tape will be stretched to a less extent and there will be less gathering of the fabric section when released from the vpresser foot. There is also a concentric section 2912 turning with the puller roller H which has a knurled surface, and the elastic tape guide may be positioned so as to feed the tape onto this smaller section, and this will decrease the relative speed of the feed of the tape to the stitching mechanism, thus stretching the same to a greater extent. 1

W nearly approximate the speed of the machine but the tape will still be maintained under a slight tension when it is fed to the stitching mechanism.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, a stitching mechanism, a presser foot. means disposed in front of said presser foot for guiding a tape and fabric section to said stitching mechanism, means operating at the stitching region for feeding said tape and fabric section, means disposed away from the presser foot and stitching region and operating on the tape for gripping said tape only before it passes, into the guiding means, and means for positively moving said tape gripping means for positively feeding the tape at a slower speed than the feed operating at the stitching region whereby the tape is tensioned when it is stitched to the fabric section.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, a stitching mechanism, means for guiding an elastic tape and a fabric section to iii said stitching mechanism, means operating at the stitching region including a feed dog and a cooperating presser foot for feeding said tape and fabric section, a feed roller spaced away from the stitching region engaging the tape before it passes to the stitching mechanism, a yielding means independent of said presser foot for holding the tape in engagement with said feed roller, and means for operating said feed roller so as to feed the tape at a slower speed than the feed operating at the stitching region, whereby said tape is stretched when it is stitched to the fabric sections. v

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, a stitching mechanism, means for guiding an elastic tape and afabric section to said stitching mechanism, means operating at the stitching region for feeding said tape and fabric section, a feed roller located in rear of the stitching mechanism, and means associated therewith for engaging the tape before it passes to the stitching mechanism and means for' operating the feed roller 'so as to feed the tape at a slower speedthan the feed operating at the stitching region whereby said tape is stretched when it is stitched to the fabric sections.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, a stitching mechanism, means for guiding an elastic tape and a fabric section to said stitching mechanism, means operating at the stitching region for feeding said tape and fabric section, a feed roller located in rear of the stitching mechanism, means for operating said feed roller in synchronismwith the feed at the stitching region, a tape feeding roller connected to and rotating in unison with the feed roller in rear of the stitching mechanism, means for yieldingly holding the tape in contact with said tapeing of less diameter than the feed roller in rear of the stitching mechanism, whereby said tape is stretched between said tape feeding roller and the feed at the stitching region.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, a stitching mechanism, means for "guiding an elastic tape and a fabric section to ing region, a tape feeding roller connected to and rotating in unison with the feed roller in rear of the stitchingmechanism, a presser roll for yieldingly holding said tape in contact with the tapefeeding roller, guiding devices over which the tape is led from the tape feeding roller to the stitching mechanism, said tape feeding roller being of lessdiameter than the feed roller in rear of the stitching mechanism whereby said tape is stretched between the tape feeding roller and the feed at the stitching region.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, a stitching mechanism, means for guiding anelastic tape and a fabric section to said stitching mechanism, means operating at the stitching region for feeding said tape and fabric section, a puller feed roller located in rear of the stitching mechanism, a plurality of knurled tape feeding rollers rotating with said puller feed roller, said tape feeding rollers being of different diameters and of less diameter than the puller feed roller, tape guiding means for direct ing the tape on to said tape feeding rollers, yielding means for pressing the tape against the tape feeding roller, means whereby said guiding means and said yielding means can be shifted so as to direct the tape on to one or another of the tape feeding rollers, and devices for guiding said tape from the tape feeding roller to the stitching mechanism.

7. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work support, stitching mechanism, means for guiding a tape to said stitching mechanism, means for delivering said tape to said tape guiding means at a predetermined rate of speed,

means for feeding said tape away from the stitching mechanism at a faster rate of speed whereby the tape is maintained in a uniform stretched 

